The long-awaited return of of the RSC's studio space ends in a victoryless triumph, a victim-strewn success played out in the disquieting intimacy of the Other Place. If multicultural Britain is on the point of fracture Somalia Seaton's Fall of the Kingdom scrutinises the corpse with all the insightful relish of a skilled anatomist and while we search the poisonous wounds of colonialism, it is hard to escape the conclusion that however visceral the scrutiny, the patient is is long beyond resurrection.
The stage is covered in boxes which fizz and crackle into life as television screens, they stream news footage of Nigel Farage and Nick Griffin, the actors cover their heads with cardboard boxes and spout the charged litany of identity and immigration. Against this background of political cliche a personal narrative of tragic disillusion plays out, a teacher is forced to confront the dark and unsettling truths that lurk beneath her belief in community cohesion when one of her students is involved in a violent confrontation.
This text is intended to challenge the audience and though in length it is little more than a vignette Somalia Seaton's sharp intelligence and some beautifully judged performances make a strong case for writing that taps directly into current experience. Laura Howard as the teacher, Donna Banya as the student and Ifan Meredith as the teacher's partner were painfully eloquent in a production that maintains the Other Place's long tradition of challenging, committed theatre, theatre that drags its audience into the performance.
Creatives
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Studio Theatre@The Other PlaceStratford-upon-Avon
Until 27 Aug 2016
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Running time:
1 hr (no interval)
'This is our England.'
In a country where protectionism masquerades as patriotism, a new national identity is being forged. Nostalgic notions of Englishness fracture as the rallying cries of a new generation are heard on the streets. In London, an attack on a student forces her teacher to confront the uncomfortable truth lurking beneath the veneer of community cohesion.
In this provocative new play, Somalia Seaton peels away the privileged ignorance of middle-class tolerance to expose the deep wound of cultural tension cutting through modern England.
In a country where protectionism masquerades as patriotism, a new national identity is being forged. Nostalgic notions of Englishness fracture as the rallying cries of a new generation are heard on the streets. In London, an attack on a student forces her teacher to confront the uncomfortable truth lurking beneath the veneer of community cohesion.
In this provocative new play, Somalia Seaton peels away the privileged ignorance of middle-class tolerance to expose the deep wound of cultural tension cutting through modern England.
Fall of the Kingdom, Rise of the Foot Soldier is part of Making Mischief – a festival of bold and thought-provoking new plays at The Other Place.
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